Dealings
by Zenappa
Summary: Jefferson was a man who didn't think about his employers or what he stole, he just did what he knew how to do to support his daughter. But Regina was different, she was someone who used him for other purposes and he knew it. There was no escape and even if there was, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. A short one-shot.


**Dealings**

There were some times that Regina just didn't understand Jefferson. There were some times that Jefferson just didn't understand Regina. And a majority of the time the pair didn't want to understand the horrors that were passing between each other's brain cells.

They found that blackmail was the easiest way to go, honestly, mostly because it worked and they were able to get the job done rather nicely.

On this rainy day, Jefferson was returning from a long haul in Wonderland, his bag full with yet another glowing heart for the damn Queen. She wasn't even the real Queen. But in Jefferson's case, he didn't care who was asking, he did what was asked and he got his money. He would do anything to support his daughter and their supposed life. It wasn't the life that most royals preferred but it was his own, not because he accepted anyone's favor. The only person that he truly considered was Regina.

As he trudged once again in the castle, he was led by guards upstairs and heaved a loud sigh while they frisked him over. The doors opened when the knighted guards pushed them and he entered alone. Regina spun around from where she was leaning over her balcony, her long black hair tied up in a familiar bun. Her abnormally large crown was slightly crooked in the nest of hair and her eyes flared up as she laid her searching dark eyes on Jefferson. He placed his magic hat on the table and sat with a plop on the silver lined couch. Groaning, he kicked his feet up on the table and itched a long scratch on his arm running from the tip of his elbow to his wrist. That giant really didn't want to give up his magic ball thingy. To be honest, Jefferson didn't even know what he had just stole.

Removing the ball from his bag, he tossed it up and down in the air, enjoying the way that Regina's eyes grew darker and darker with every flip of his wrist. He winced slightly as he caught the ball the wrong way, opening up his scratch. As the blood trickled down his arm, he sighed exasperatedly, wiping it away with his ratted jacket.

"Don't bleed on my couch," Regina snapped, rolling her eyes. "I just finished paying for that."

Jefferson raised an eyebrow curiously, half knowing what she was implying. "And when are you going to pay for this?" he held up the ball in his hands, not even asking what it was or what she was going to use it for. He didn't care, he just wanted his payment.

He ignored her snarky request to move from the couch and instead just stared at her. Regina spun around on her heels, fetching a bag full of gold coins and tossing it towards Jefferson. He caught it with ease, glancing around at his surroundings and rolled the ball across the table towards the Queen.

"I appreciate your services," she nodded to Jefferson as he picked up his hat, sticking the bag of coins in there. Her eyes darted to his cut and back up to his own pair of pupils. "Did the giants do that to you?" she asked softly, almost as if she was showing some sort of compassion, but Jefferson knew better. Regina didn't care about anyone other than herself and that was never going to change.

"Nothing I can't handle," he shrugged honestly before he placed his feet firmly on the shag white carpet below him and got to his feet with only a slight groan.

Regina shook her head in exasperation, over at his side in moments, and placed her hand over the cut, attempting to use magic to heal it. Jefferson instantly shook his arm out of her grasp.

"I said, I don't need your help."

She took a step back, almost in shock, as they glared at one another for a minute. No one breathed for several moments before Regina nodded, moving back to the balcony where she overlooked her stolen kingdom.

"I'll find you when I need you again," she said, gritting her teeth.

Jefferson sighed, shaking his head, "You always do."

He picked up his hat, heading out the door without bothering to place it back on his head; he needed the time to walk and think, teleportation wouldn't suit his needs in this case... No, some called him mad but he was far from that yet. Yet. Of course, it ended up being her fault but that is what happens when one does dealings with the devil.


End file.
